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Re: [T3] Hard start relay diagram


> This only applies when the car is hot after an extended drive or very hot
> outside.  If you are having problems when it's cold, you need to go through
> the system cleaning stuff and/or check your battery.
>

If this is the common situation where tapping the starter motor with a hammer or
a piece of wood will then allow the engine to be started (the normal situation
in the won't start hot or when cold after a hot journey), please check and clean
the brushes and commutator area in the starter motor.

This is (surprisingly) part of the starter solenoid circuit, and is responsible
for inching round the motor so it engages in the flywheel gear gently before the
other solenoid contacts close to send the main starting current through the
motor.

Bad contact due to sticking brushes reduces the pull-in current to the point
where it can't pull in the solenoid, and you just get a click or maybe just a
dimming of the charging light to show some current is flowing.

A hard start relay reduces the wear on the ignition switch considerably, so
could be worth fitting for that reason alone since some ignition/starter
switches are rare or expensive.  On later Type 3s the wire from the ignition to
the solenoid runs right past the battery (certainly on RHD cars), and has a
connector near the battery or under the seat which makes it easy to connect that
to the relay driving coil then earth, while the other pair of contacts switched
by the relay go to battery + and red wire to the solenoid.

Dave.
UK VW Type 3 & 4 Club
http://www.hallvw.clara.co.uk/
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